Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelmalo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldelmalo’ characterized by its white-colored ray florets, yellow-colored disc florets, and vigorous, upright, and mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldelmalo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Dahlia plant botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baldelmalo’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands during July 1997. The objective of the breeding program was the development of freely flowering Dahlia cultivars with large inflorescences and an upright growth habit.

The female parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary breeding selection designated ‘97.1261’, not patented, characterized by its very long peduncles. The male parent of the new cultivar was ‘Dapawhi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,709, characterized by its white inflorescences and compact growth habit. Seed from the above stated cross-pollination was germinated and grown to maturity. One plant within the progeny was discovered and selected by the inventor during May 1998 at Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings taken since May 1998 at Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type, with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldelmalo’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Double inflorescence form.     -   2. White-colored ray florets and yellow-colored disc florets.     -   3. Vigorous, upright, and mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in peduncle length and from the male parent primarily in growth habit.

Of the many Dahlia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar to the new cultivar is the cultivar ‘Dapawhi’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,709. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Dapawhi’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit lighter foliage color than         do plants of ‘Dapawhi’.     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar exhibit smaller inflorescences         than do plants of ‘Dapawhi’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the new cultivar. The plants were grown for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Baldelmalo’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of ‘Baldelmalo’ just opening.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of ‘Baldelmalo’ before disc florets open.

FIG. 4 illustrates a single fully open inflorescence of ‘Baldelmalo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Oct. 15, 2004 between 10:00 and 11:45 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill. under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks while utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65°-75° F. (18°-24° C.) during the day and approximately 60°-65° F. (15°-18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained at approximately 4,000-6,000 footcandles during the day. Plants were pinched three weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis cultivar Baldelmalo. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Dahlia breeding selection             designated 97.1261, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Dahlia cultivar Dapawhi, U.S. Plant Pat. No.             11,709. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal tip.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Tubers.—Will form under short day conditions of at least 13             to 14 hours of darkness. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 8-10 weeks.         -   Growth habit.—Basal branching, pinching enhances branching.         -   General appearance and form.—Upright, mounded, and vigorous.         -   Size.—Height from top of soil to top of plant plane:             Approximately 25.1 cm. Width/area of spread: Approximately             21.4 cm.         -   Branch description.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 5.             Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 13 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of center internode:             Approximately 1.6 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144B with             overlay at nodes of 183C.         -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 15. Type: Compound. Quantity of leaflets per             compond leaf: 3 or 5. Fragrance: None. Arrangement:             Opposite. Aspect: At an acute angle to stem. Leaf/leaflet:             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature trifoliate             leaves: Approximately 5.6 cm. Width of mature trifoliate             leaves: Approximately 6.5 cm. Length of petiole of mature             trifoliate leaf: 2 cm. Diameter of petiole of mature             trifoliate leaf: 2 mm. Petiole color: 144B. Length of             terminal leaflet: Approximately 4.5 cm. Width of terminal             leaflet: Approximately 2.8 cm. Length of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 2.9 cm. Width of lateral leaflet:             Approximately 2.3 cm. Texture of upper and lower surface of             all foliage: Glabrous with slight pubescence along veins.             Color of upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with veins of             144C. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 137C with             veins of 144B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Outdoor flowering habit.—‘Baldelmalo’ is freely flowering             under outdoor growing conditions with substantially             continuous blooming from spring through autumn and year             round in greenhouse environment.         -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 8 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Type: Composite. Form: Fully double, arising             from leaf axils on strong peduncles, positioned just over             the foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum. Persistent.         -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 3 fully open at any one             time.         -   Lastingness of bloom.13 Approximately 4 weeks from first             open ray floret to senescence.         -   Shape/size.—Hemispherical. Diameter: Approximately 10 cm.             Depth: Approximately 7 cm. Disc diameter: Approximately             1.3 cm. Receptacle diameter: Approximately 2 cm. Receptical             height/depth: Approximately 5 mm. Receptacle color: 145C.         -   Flower bud.—Rate of opening: Approximately 2 weeks from             first color to full bloom. Quantity per plant: Approximately             2 showing color at any one time. Shape: Oblate. Length at             first color: Approximately 1.6 cm. Width at first color:             Approximately 1 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 150C.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity: Approximately 55 per inflorescence             arranged in several overlapping whorls. Shape: Obovate.             Apex: Emarginate. Base: Attenuate, fused to form tube.             Margin: Entire. Length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Width:             Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface when fully opened: Closest to 155D. Color of lower             surface when fully opened: Closest to 155B.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity: Approximately 45. Shape: Elongated,             cylindrical. Apex: 5 acute tips. Length: Approximately 5 mm.             Diameter at apex: Approximately 2.6 mm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 0.9 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Transparent,             9A at apex, 150D at base.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 3.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.9 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity: One per ray floret. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Emarginate with three tips. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: 1.3 cm. Width: 4 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surface: Glabrous, papery. Color of upper and lower             surface: Transparent, 150C at apex, 150D at base.         -   Secondary phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 7. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Length: Approximately 9 mm. Width: Approximately 4 mm.             Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Sparse pubescence. Color of upper and lower             surfaces: 146A with parallel venation of 150A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium — On disc florets. Stamen             number: 5. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length:             Approximately 2 mm. Anther color: 165A. Pollen amount:             Anbundant. Pollen color: 17A. Gynoecium — On disc and ray             florets. Pistil length: Approximately 1.1 cm. Stigma length:             3 mm. Style length: 5 mm. Style color: 150D. Ovary length:             3 mm. Ovary color: 145C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Dahlia has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelmalo’, substantially as herein shown and described. 